Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Cellular Analysis and Radiologic Patterns in Patients with Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Disease.
Interstitial lung disease
bronchoalveolar lavage
bronchoscopy
guidelines
radiologic patterns
Journal
Chest
ISSN: 1931-3543
Titre abrégé: Chest
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0231335
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
21 Aug 2024
21 Aug 2024
Historique:
received:
08
02
2024
revised:
27
06
2024
accepted:
08
07
2024
medline:
24
8
2024
pubmed:
24
8
2024
entrez:
23
8
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cellular analysis is often recommended during the initial diagnostic evaluation of fibrotic ILD. Despite recommendation for its use, between-center heterogeneity exists and supportive data concerning the clinical utility and correlation of BAL findings with radiologic features or patterns remains sparse. In patients with fibrotic ILD, are BAL findings associated with radiologic features, patterns, and clinical diagnoses? Patients with fibrotic ILD who underwent BAL for diagnostic evaluation and enrolled in the prospective Canadian Registry for Pulmonary Fibrosis were re-reviewed in a standardized multidisciplinary discussion (MDD). BAL was categorized according to guideline-recommended thresholds, and also using thresholds of lymphocytosis>20% and neutrophils>4.5%. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans were scored (blinded to clinical data) for specific features and percentage lung involvement. Radiologists classified HRCTs according to guideline-defined patterns for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (fHP), then MDD diagnoses were assigned, considering all available data. Bronchoscopy with cellular analysis was performed in 209/1593 (13%) patients. Lymphocyte% was weakly negatively correlated with total fibrosis% (r=-0.16, p=0.023) but not statistically significantly correlated with ground glass opacity% (r=0.01, p=0.94). A mixed BAL pattern was the most frequent in all radiologic patterns (range 45% to 69%), with a minority classifiable according to BAL guidelines. BAL lymphocytosis appeared with similar frequency across HRCT patterns of fHP (21%) and UIP (18%). Only 5% of patients with MDD-based fHP had a guideline defined isolated lymphocytosis >15%. BAL cellular analyses did not significantly correlate with radiologic features, guideline patterns, or MDD-based diagnoses. Ground glass opacities are often interpreted to represent pulmonary inflammation, but were not associated with BAL lymphocytosis in this cohort.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cellular analysis is often recommended during the initial diagnostic evaluation of fibrotic ILD. Despite recommendation for its use, between-center heterogeneity exists and supportive data concerning the clinical utility and correlation of BAL findings with radiologic features or patterns remains sparse.
RESEARCH QUESTION
OBJECTIVE
In patients with fibrotic ILD, are BAL findings associated with radiologic features, patterns, and clinical diagnoses?
METHODS
METHODS
Patients with fibrotic ILD who underwent BAL for diagnostic evaluation and enrolled in the prospective Canadian Registry for Pulmonary Fibrosis were re-reviewed in a standardized multidisciplinary discussion (MDD). BAL was categorized according to guideline-recommended thresholds, and also using thresholds of lymphocytosis>20% and neutrophils>4.5%. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans were scored (blinded to clinical data) for specific features and percentage lung involvement. Radiologists classified HRCTs according to guideline-defined patterns for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (fHP), then MDD diagnoses were assigned, considering all available data.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Bronchoscopy with cellular analysis was performed in 209/1593 (13%) patients. Lymphocyte% was weakly negatively correlated with total fibrosis% (r=-0.16, p=0.023) but not statistically significantly correlated with ground glass opacity% (r=0.01, p=0.94). A mixed BAL pattern was the most frequent in all radiologic patterns (range 45% to 69%), with a minority classifiable according to BAL guidelines. BAL lymphocytosis appeared with similar frequency across HRCT patterns of fHP (21%) and UIP (18%). Only 5% of patients with MDD-based fHP had a guideline defined isolated lymphocytosis >15%.
INTERPRETATION
CONCLUSIONS
BAL cellular analyses did not significantly correlate with radiologic features, guideline patterns, or MDD-based diagnoses. Ground glass opacities are often interpreted to represent pulmonary inflammation, but were not associated with BAL lymphocytosis in this cohort.
Identifiants
pubmed: 39179174
pii: S0012-3692(24)04930-4
doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2024.07.166
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.